Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1887-02-18
DortG obQcroGimes
PORT TOBACCO:
Friday Morning. February Is, 1887
Advantages of Southern Maryland


We reprint elsewhere in this issue an
editorial article from the Baltimore Sun
having special reference to our section OF
Maryland. The article notices the lull in
the flow of the tide Of emigration to the
new Western country, which has of late
become apparent, exhibits practical and
forcible comparison of the advantages and
disadvantages, climatic and otherwise, oi
the new West as compared with Southern
Maryland and reiterates the opinion
which it has heretofore frequently express
ed, that if proper means were adopted to
make known the advantages of our Sec
tion of country, the tide of emigration
would set steadily this way to the great
advantage of our country. 1t says that
"Southeln Maryland is certainly good
enough country for any reasonable person
and if its advantages were more generally
appreciated it would soon experience a
boom of no insignificant proportions"
The Sun deserves the thanks of the peo-
pie OF our section for the friendly interest
it manifests in the development of our
country. There can be no doubt of the
truth and the force of What it so we'll says
regarding the resources OF our country
nor can there be any reasonable doubt
that the advantages which Southern Mary
land offers to new settlers will ultimately
become known to the class of people seek
ing rural homes and will result in all our
waste plains being filed up with thrifty
agricultural population. How long this
much desired and necessary result shall
be postponed is the only question.
1t does seem strange that country so
rich in natural resources and facilities as
is our peninsular, should remain neglected
and undeveloped for the want of populs-
ion and proper tilIage, while thousands of
thrifty and industrious farmers are annu-
ally Drawing all the hardships of the far
West to find lands to settle upon. 1t is
also difficult to understand why land goes
begging for purchasers here at from $s
to S. per acre, while no better lands in
the central, and Northern, and many of
the Eastern counties of the State find
ready purchasers at from four to five times
that amount.
The reason is that we have never been
able to get our lands fairly into the real
estate market. We are like unto the un-
fortunate merchant, who stores his goods
in dingy shop on an unused by-way, and
fancles himself too poor to advertise his
wares and his plan of business to the busy
world. While he is compelled to sell his
merchandise to bis poor and unthrifty
neighbors, who are incapable of appreciat-
ing or developing their true value, the
same goods are sold in the busy thorough
fares and by enterprising merchants at
much higher and much more remunerative
prices.
The interest which the Sun has so stead
fly manifested in making our section and
its advantages known to the outside world
is but the natural instinct Of an enterpris-
ing Maryland journal. The same feeling
should be shared by every citizen of the
State; for the whole population will be
benefited by the development of every
section of the commonwealth to its full
capacity. 1t is to be hoped then that this
spirit may prompt the next Legislature OF
Maryland to do what other Southern and
Western States have done to so much ad
vantage, and establish an immigration
bureau to aid in the development and
population of undeveloped and sparsely
populated sections of the State. Let US
hope that, by the aid of this department
of the public service, the natural advan
tages of our section of the State may be-
come generally known and appreciated
and the t'boom" which our enterprising
contemporary predicts ia our behalf may
be, at no distant day, fully realized.